Pat Hitchcock Net Worth

Pat Hitchcock occupies a unique place in film history as the only child of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville, a talented screenwriter and editor. While her name may not be as immediately recognizable as her father's, she carved out her own modest career in Hollywood, appearing in several of her father's iconic films and television productions. Beyond her acting work, she played a crucial role in preserving her parents' legacy and bringing greater recognition to her mother's often overlooked contributions to her father's success. Known for her warm personality and straightforward manner, Pat maintained a refreshing perspective on growing up as the daughter of one of cinema's most influential figures, once noting that she wished her father "had believed in nepotism" so she could have appeared in more of his films.

Early Life and Education

Patricia Alma Hitchcock was born on July 7, 1928, in London, England. Her upbringing was decidedly English and relatively strict, with her parents instilling in her the proper manners and behaviors expected of children at that time. At age eight, she was sent to boarding school, where she spent two years before her family relocated to the United States in March 1939 when Alfred Hitchcock accepted producer David O. Selznick's offer to direct "Rebecca" (1940).

The family settled in Bel Air, Los Angeles, where Pat attended Marymount High School, a Catholic all-girls school. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be an actress. After graduating in 1947, she returned to England to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where her classmates included future stars like Lionel Jeffries and Dorothy Tutin.

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Acting Career

Pat's professional acting career began on the stage rather than the screen. With her father's help, she secured a role in the Broadway production of "Solitaire" in 1942 when she was just 13 years old. Two years later, she played the title role in the Broadway play "Violet" at the Belasco Theater, further developing her skills as a performer.

Her film career included appearances in three of her father's most notable works: "Stage Fright" (1950), where she played Chubby Bannister, a friend of Jane Wyman's character; "Strangers on a Train" (1951), in which she portrayed Barbara Morton, the sister of Ruth Roman's character; and "Psycho" (1960), where she played Caroline, an office worker who offers to share tranquilizers with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh). She also appeared in ten episodes of the television series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" between 1955 and 1960.

While her film appearances were relatively few, Pat developed a reputation as a reliable character actress, often cast as the plain-speaking friend or sister of the lead character. In a 1984 Washington Post interview, she expressed some regret that her father hadn't given her more substantial roles in his films, remarking that she wished "he had believed in nepotism," but acknowledged that he only cast people he thought were "right for the part."

By the early 1950s, Pat's acting career began to take a backseat to family life. She appeared in TV shows like "Suspense," "My Little Margie," and "The Life of Riley," but largely retired from acting to raise her family.

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Personal Life and Family

Pat married Joseph E. O'Connell Jr., the son of a Boston businessman, on January 17, 1952, at Our Lady Chapel in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. The couple had three daughters: Mary Alma Stone, Teresa "Tere" Carrubba, and Kathleen "Katie" Fiala.

Her husband passed away in 1994 after 42 years of marriage. Pat remained devoted to preserving her parents' legacy, particularly after her father's death in 1980 and her mother's in 1982. She donated Alfred Hitchcock's papers to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Margaret Herrick Library in 1984, creating the Alfred Hitchcock Papers Collection.

Legacy Preservation and Later Life

In her later years, Pat worked to ensure that both her parents received proper recognition for their contributions to cinema. For several years, she served as the family representative on the staff of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. In 2003, she co-authored a biography of her mother with Laurent Bouzereau titled "Alma Hitchcock: The Woman Behind the Man," which highlighted her mother's crucial but often overlooked role in her father's success.

She often noted that her mother "had much more to do with the films than she has ever been given credit for," emphasizing that her father "depended on her for everything, absolutely everything." This work helped bring greater recognition to Alma Reville's significant contributions as a screenwriter, editor, and creative partner.

Pat also served as executive producer for the 2000 documentary "The Man on Lincoln's Nose," about production designer Robert F. Boyle, who had worked with Alfred Hitchcock on several films. The documentary received an Academy Award nomination.

Pat Hitchcock died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, on August 9, 2021, at the age of 93. Upon her passing, her daughter Teresa remarked that she "was always really good at protecting the legacy of my grandparents and making sure they were always remembered." Through her performances, her preservation efforts, and her commitment to honoring her parents' work, Pat Hitchcock ensured that the Hitchcock legacy would continue to inspire generations of filmmakers and film lovers.